PGCE Secondary Teaching Experience Handbook 2020 2021 - For Student Teachers, Mentors and University Visiting Tutors
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PGCE Secondary Teaching Experience
Handbook 2020 - 2021
For Student Teachers, Mentors and University
Visiting TutorsPGCE Secondary Teaching Experience Handbook 2020-2021
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Contents
1. Welcome .............................................................................................................................. 3
2. Key contacts details for the partnership team ....................................................................... 4
Communication with Schools, Mentors and Students ....................................................................... 4
3. Glossary and acronyms of terminology used in partnership ................................................... 5
4. Manchester Metropolitan University Curriculum ................................................................... 5
4.1 Programme Outcomes .................................................................................................................. 8
4.2 The ITT Core Content Framework (CCF) ....................................................................................... 8
5. Roles and responsibilities for teaching experience ............................................................... 10
5.1 Roles .................................................................................................................................... 10
5.2 Subject Mentors .................................................................................................................. 11
5.3 Professional mentor ............................................................................................................ 12
5.4 University visiting tutor ....................................................................................................... 12
5.5 Senior moderator ................................................................................................................ 13
5.6 Expectations of our student teachers ................................................................................. 14
6. Teaching experience and placements .................................................................................. 15
6.1 Allocation of Placements ............................................................................................................ 15
6.2 Suitable Placements .................................................................................................................... 15
6.3 Student Teacher Entitlement ...................................................................................................... 16
6.4 Data Protection whilst on placement ......................................................................................... 16
6.5 Disclosure and Barring ................................................................................................................ 17
6.6 Equality Statement and Religious Observance ........................................................................... 18
6.7 Attendance and Absence ............................................................................................................ 19
6.8 Travel to and from placement .................................................................................................... 20
7. What if things don’t go to plan during placement? .............................................................. 21
7.1 Intervention and Support Plan (ISP) Procedure .......................................................................... 21
7.2 Failure of a placement ................................................................................................................ 21
8. Teaching Experience File (TEF) ........................................................................................... 22
Appendices ................................................................................................................................ 23
Appendix 1 - MMU UVT Purpose and process Chart .................................................................... 23
Appendix 2 – Response to Covid-19 ............................................................................................ 24
Appendix 3 - School Acronyms................................................................................................... 25
School of Teacher Education & Professional Development, Faculty of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University Page 2PGCE Secondary Teaching Experience Handbook 2020-2021
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1. Welcome
This handbook has been compiled by the Partnership team to assist student teachers, Subject
Mentors, Professional Mentors and University Visiting Tutors in their support and assessment of
student teachers on placement. We are fully committed to preparing student teachers to become
highly skilled and reflective practitioners teachers through inspiring professional development in
creative school partnerships, focusing on understanding and promoting effective learning and pupil
progress and developing professional expertise. This guidance provides a summary of key processes
and activities that take place during Teaching Experience. For guidance on paired placements and
details about requirements for each individual placement, please refer to the Secondary Partnership
website: https://www2.mmu.ac.uk/stepd/partnerships/
The National Standards for School-based Initial Teacher Training Mentors (July 2016), while not
currently statutory, play an important role in our work together. The standards aim to strengthen the
quality of support that student teacher teachers receive while on placements and to create
consistency within partnerships and across Initial Teacher education in England. The standards can be
found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536891/Mentor_s
tandards_report_Final.pdf
All our systems and processes are regularly reviewed in a constant drive for improvement. If you have
any suggestions to improve the quality of student teachers’ Teaching Experience, please contact the
partnership coordinator who has responsibility for the placement.
School of Teacher Education & Professional Development, Faculty of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University Page 3PGCE Secondary Teaching Experience Handbook 2020-2021
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2. Key contacts details for the partnership team
Name Role Email address Telephone
number
Secondary Partnership Secondary.placements@mmu.ac.uk 0161 247 6422
Placements administration
Office
School Direct
School Direct schooldirect@mmu.ac.uk 0161 247 2383
admin administration
Karen Fuller Head of ITE karen.fuller@mmu.ac.uk 0161 247 1642
Partnerships
Jo Baynham Partnership TEA@mmu.ac.uk 0161 247 5125
Coordinator for PGCE
Placement A
Majella Dalton- Partnership TEB@mmu.ac.uk 0161 247 2354
Bartley Coordinator for PGCE
Placement B
Zoe Crompton School Direct z.crompton@mmu.ac.uk 0161 247 2308
Coordinator
Pete Bayliss Partnership Tutor p.bayliss@mmu.ac.uk N/A
Gill Burgess Partnership Tutor g.burgess@mmu.ac.uk N/A
Aileen Thom Partnership Tutor a.thom@mmu.ac.uk N/A
Cheryl Partnership Tutor c.wilberforce@mmu.ac.uk N/A
Wilberforce
Communication with Schools, Mentors and Students
All course documentation and teaching experience documentation is on the Secondary Partnership
page of the Faculty of Education’s website:
https://www.mmu.ac.uk/stepd/partnerships/resources/secondary/
Everyone has access to this page (students, tutors, schools, Ofsted) and it is advisable to check for
changes and additions regularly. Communication is usually via email.
School of Teacher Education & Professional Development, Faculty of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University Page 4PGCE Secondary Teaching Experience Handbook 2020-2021
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3. Glossary and acronyms of terminology used in partnership
CPD Continuing Professional Placement First teaching experience
Development A
ITT / ITE Initial Teacher Training / Placement Second teaching experience
Initial Teacher Education B
PMCPD Professional Mentor CPD PMT Professional Mentor Training
Partnership A member of university staff Professional The person in school who has
Coordinator with partnership Mentor responsibility for all student
responsibilities, including as teachers on placement and
a teaching experience unit supporting subject mentors.
leader . They will also provide PTM Partnership Tutor Meeting
the necessary support and (MMU Staff)
guidance on matters of Senior University staff who quality
partnership policy and Moderator assure placements (see
practice further guidance).
Partnership Support partnership SMT Subject Mentor Training
Tutor development in an area of SPSG Secondary Partnership
schools and deliver mentor Steering Group
training will be responsible ST Student teacher
for training mentors, carrying Subject Person responsible for
out senior moderation visits, Mentor supporting the student
leading on the quality teacher on a day to day basis
assurance of the school TE Teaching Experience
based provision , risk PT Personal Tutor
assessments and CPD in UVT University Visiting Tutor -
schools. visits the student teacher
PGCE Post Graduate Certificate in teachers during their
Education placement
PGS Progress Board of Examiners
4. Manchester Metropolitan University Curriculum
The PGCE Secondary Education programme has been designed carefully to guide you towards meeting
the Teachers’ Standards at the end of the programme.
Intent
Joining our PGCE Secondary Education programme is the first step in a journey to becoming a teacher
professional. You will engage with the Manchester Met. Secondary Education curriculum throughout
your programme, which incorporates all elements of the Core Content Framework (CCF)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/initial-teacher-training-itt-core-content-framework, --
the minimum entitlement for all Initial Teacher Education programmes. We understand that becoming
a secondary teacher is a complex process and our curriculum responds to the on-going development
of the professional teacher identity through supporting students to become responsible, independent
learners who can explore their individual interests and needs through a personalised academic
programme involving increasing stages of independence, research and choice of study. Our curriculum
will support students in key aspects, such as:
o learning to teach (generic pedagogy, including adaptive teaching and classroom
management)
o learning to teach a subject (subject knowledge and pedagogy, curriculum design,
planning and assessment)
School of Teacher Education & Professional Development, Faculty of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University Page 5PGCE Secondary Teaching Experience Handbook 2020-2021
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o learning to be a teacher (teacher identity, professional behaviours, developing
reflective and reflexive practice, educational ideologies and values)
o learning to be a teacher-researcher (critical thinking, exploring research, evaluating
the impact and effectiveness of research on teaching and learning)
Our curriculum takes varied, but equally valuable, forms across multiple sites and is planned holistically
and in responsive ways. It is co-designed and co-taught across our partnership, sharing a pedagogical
approach with an agreed division of labour and expert knowledge between our schools and university
tutors.
Implementation
The Manchester Met. curriculum offers students to engage through dialogic means, becoming
responsible for co-creating their degree programme with support and guidance from personal tutors
and provides the opportunity to take increasing responsibility for their own professional development
through building a culture of research, reflection and enquiry. Student choice and a personalised
programme with well-considered sequencing of the knowledge and skills to be learned across the
theoretical and practical dimensions. Delivery of the curriculum will take place in a ‘blended’ format,
co-produced and delivered by university tutors and school mentors. This means there will be a mixture
of on-campus, in-school and online learning. This will include seminars, webinars and workshops,
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), pre-recorded content and tutorial sessions. Students will
collaborate and contribute to work in groups of various sizes as well as independently.
Impact
The Manchester Met. curriculum is exciting, challenging and rewarding, creating excellent teachers for
the future. It is designed to enable students to make successful progress and provide opportunities for
them to gather the required evidence to demonstrate that the Teacher Standards have been met. It is
under-pinned by a desire on the part of the schools involved and all at Manchester Met., for students
to develop as outstanding professional, beginning teachers, well able to critically reflect on practice
and aiming to achieve the best for themselves and the children and young people that they teach. The
carefully planned sequencing of knowledge, skills and understanding will support the development of
practical application with pupils and learners and will provide the necessary tools to prepare students
to be confident, innovative, inspirational practitioners, capable of teaching in a variety of settings, in
an increasingly diverse and ever-changing society.
The Teachers’ Standards
The Teachers’ Standards are end-point statements which must be met in order to achieve Qualified
Teacher Status. It is important you familiarise yourself with these prior to beginning the course. For
more information about the Teachers’ Standards:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file
/665520/Teachers__Standards.pdf
Themes and dimensions for teaching and learning
These elements are those addressed across the course, both in schools and University; they
incorporate the aspects of education that extol the core values essential to all learning communities
and that promote community cohesion and help teachers prepare children for life in a diverse, just,
safe and equitable society.
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SMSC: Social Moral Spiritual and Cultural and PREVENT
SMSC is a statutory, inspected, and value-laden aspect of being a teacher.
British Values
Within SMSC development, a duty is placed upon you to protect children from extremism and to
encourage them to uphold fundamental British values, mutual respect and tolerance for different
faiths and beliefs. Please read the Department for Education (DfE) advice on this at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-fundamental-british-values-through-smsc
Safeguarding
Prior to placement, students are provided with a safeguarding briefing which builds on what had been
covered in the previous year. This is also undertaken in schools during the induction period. These
sessions are broadly equivalent to most ‘Level 1 Safeguarding training’. The government requires that
all teachers should read at least part 1 of the statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’
(2016). Read it at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/550511/Keeping_c
hildren_safe_in_education.pdf
E-safety and your professional E-profile
Part Two of the Teachers’ Standards states: ‘Personal and Professional Conduct’: A teacher is expected
to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct.
You are about to begin a professional programme and need to be aware of all the implications that
this has for you, Manchester Met and the schools you will be placed in. Please engage carefully with
the advice on the following website and act accordingly:
https://www.childnet.com/teachers-and-professionals
Top tips for protecting your professional reputation online:
1. The best way to find out your online reputation is to search for yourself regularly on a
search engine. Use your name and location first then check variations of your name
and even nicknames.
2. Always think before you post. Is that photo appropriate? Could that joke be seen as
offensive? Be mindful when sharing pictures, posts, or liking content online, which
could bring your reputation into disrepute.
3. Use privacy settings and safety features, which are provided by social media sites to
help you manage who can contact you and see the things you share online. The UK
Safer Internet Centre provides more detailed information on putting privacy settings
in place.
Prevent
Part of the requirement of safeguarding as a teacher, is your duty to protect children from extremism.
Read the government requirements at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/439598/prevent-
duty-departmental-advice-v6.pdf
School of Teacher Education & Professional Development, Faculty of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University Page 7PGCE Secondary Teaching Experience Handbook 2020-2021
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4.1 Programme Outcomes
The award of PGCE will signify that student teachers have met, and demonstrated evidence of meeting,
all of the Programme Outcomes that include the Standards for the Awards of Qualified Teacher Status
(i.e. the characteristics which must be demonstrated by all beginning teachers).
The Secondary Programmes also prescribe other outcomes that refine the characteristics of the
beginning teacher to make the programmes’ outcomes compatible with the aims of academic study at
Degree and Masters Levels.
Academic Learning Outcomes of the Manchester Met PGCE Programme
Evidence of the ability to:
a. deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the
absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-
specialist audiences;
b. demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act
autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at professionally;
c. continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high
level;
d. formulate appropriate enquiries into classroom practice and carry them out, either individually
and/or by making a contribution to an enquiry carried out by a group of practitioners (including
peers, mentors and tutors) and evidence of:
e. the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring:
- the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility;
- decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations; and
- the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development.
This will be demonstrated by the student teachers’ professional engagement with the programme at
University, on placements and through:
a. Participation in practitioner enquiry (including collaborative enquiry with other student
teachers, tutors and mentors)
b. Critical discourse on matters of education principle and policy (including professional discourse
in the report process)
c. Formulation of thoughtful and critical written and spoken discourse to justify their own work
as a practitioner
d. Production of written accounts based on enquiries which meet the needs and professional
register of e.g. a partner school’s commissioned curriculum enquiry and/or the requirements
and register of scholarly activity
4.2 The ITT Core Content Framework (CCF)
From September 2020 all ITE providers are working on a new ITT Core Content Framework which
builds on and replaces the Framework of Core Content for Initial Teacher Training (2016)
What is it?
It is designed to emphasise the importance of high-quality teaching. Similar to the Early Career
Framework, for each Teachers’ Standard, there are ‘Learn that…’ and ‘Learn how to’ statements.
The ITT Core Content Framework does not set out the full ITT curriculum for student teachers. The
complexity of the process for becoming a teacher cannot be overestimated and it remains for
individual providers to design curricula appropriate for the subject, phase and age range that the
student teachers will be teaching.
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While the ITT Core Content Framework is presented around the Teachers’ Standards for clarity, the ITT
Core Content Framework is not, and should not be used, as an assessment framework. Student
teachers will not be expected to collect evidence against the ITT Core Content Framework. Student
teachers will be assessed against the Teachers’ Standards at the end of their Initial Teacher Training
where QTS will be awarded. .
The ITT Core Content Framework has been designed to support student teacher development in 5 core
areas – behaviour management, pedagogy, curriculum, assessment and professional behaviours. In
order to ensure congruence with the 8 Teachers’ Standards, the ITT Core Content Framework is
presented in 8 sections. In developing the framework, behaviour management is addressed in High
Expectations and Managing Behaviour (S1 and S7); pedagogy is addressed in How Pupils Learn,
Classroom Practice and Adaptive Teaching (S2, S4, S5); and curriculum, assessment and professional
behaviours are addressed in S3, S6 and S8 respectively.
Part 2 of the Teachers’ Standards
Part Two of the Teachers’ Standards defines the behaviour and attitudes which set the required
standard for conduct throughout a teacher’s career. These standards must always be met and stand
alongside the ITT Core Content Framework, so are not referenced in detail. However, all student
teachers should have a clear understanding of the expectations regarding personal and professional
conduct of a teacher and the ethics of the teaching profession. This includes how Fundamental British
Values can be upheld in schools and the importance of showing tolerance and respect for the rights of
others.
Why do we need it?
The ITT Core Content Framework and the Early Career Framework establish a 3-year structured
package of support for future teachers.
In Response to the ITT Core Content Framework, we have developed a Progression and Achievement
Document (PAD), which monitors and reviews the progress of student teachers throughout their
teacher training year.
Assessment of Progress – PGCE
The PGCE programme is divided into 4 phases.
1. Induction Phase incorporates University teaching and early stages of placement A.
2. Development Phase incorporates later stage placement A.
3. Progression Phase incorporates University teaching and early stages of Placement B.
4. Achievement Phase incorporates later stages of Placement B / PGF and Enrichment Activity.
At the end of each phase, all student teachers undergo an assessment of their progress against the
MMU Curriculum. This is carried out by subject mentors and subsequently, University Tutors. Tutors
and mentors should identify for each category whether a student teacher is making sufficient progress
against the MMU curriculum or not.
Guidance on completing the PAD.
• The Progression and Achievement Document is an ongoing working document which
demonstrates the progress the student teacher is making throughout the academic year.
• The student teacher is ultimately responsible for this document, which is located in their
Teaching Experience File (online using the OneDrive)
• The student teacher must ensure all relevant sections are completed by the appropriate dates
as identified in the academic calendar and teaching experience handbook.
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• The evidence to support the PAD will be located in the student teachers TEF.
• There are four reports: Interim and final report for placement A and Interim and Final report
for placement B.
• The professional mentor must send the completed reports to the placements team.
5. Roles and responsibilities for teaching experience
The partnership should:
acknowledge that the well-being and education of pupils in schools/settings takes priority over
all other considerations;
exercise a duty of care for all of the student teachers, their personalised professional
development needs and their well-being;
support student teachers with respect, being mindful of the stage of their training and how
this is impacting on the challenges they might be facing;
ensure that student teachers are equipped to enjoy the rewards and challenges of the teaching
profession and recognising the need to nurture the next generation of committed, resilient,
high-quality teachers;
support student teachers progress against the MMU curriculum.
Student teachers should:
understand and take responsibility for the impact of their teaching on pupil progress and
learning over time;
utilise all aspects of their learning, in school, in University and in independent study, to support
their progress as reflective practitioners, alongside their professional development, towards
achieving the professional standards for Qualified Teacher Status
School-based staff should:
provide effective teaching experiences;
support student teachers so that they have a positive impact on pupil progress and learning
from the outset;
identify and address student teachers’ needs to support them in readiness for becoming NQTs;
support student teachers progress against the MMU curriculum.
University staff should:
work with all members of the partnership to ensure that all student teachers make progress
against the MMU curriculum;
utilise partnership data to inform mentor training that impacts positively on student teacher
outcomes and the progress of the pupils they teach.
5.1 Roles
There are several different people involved in teaching experience and supporting student teachers in
school.
Subject Mentor The subject mentor provides day-to-day support, training and feedback for the student
teacher. They are responsible for creating an appropriate timetable and offering expert
guidance to the student teacher and ensuring they make sufficient progress against the
MMU curriculum and the teachers’ standards.
Professional The professional mentor is the person within the school/setting with overall designated
Mentor responsibility for student teachers. The professional mentor may be working with several
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student teachers at the same time, in a co-ordinating / overseeing capacity. They are
responsible for monitoring the training process in different subjects within the school, to
moderate the assessment outcomes for all student teachers and to quality assure the
mentor support and training programme provided. The professional mentor is responsible
for attending training in advance of undertaking their role, and ensuring subject mentors
are appropriately trained.
University The university visiting tutor quality assures the teaching experience and mentoring process,
Visiting Tutor and supports the school/setting and the student teacher throughout the placement. They
(UVT) visit the student teacher once per teaching experience. Please note this visit is likely take
place virtually in the academic year 2020-2021 due to the ongoing pandemic.
Personal Tutor The university-based personal tutor will support student teachers before, during and after
the placement. They are the point of contact should any problem arise. They are the next
point of contact regarding queries after the student teacher has contacted school-based
colleagues and/or if the issue is of a personal nature. The personal tutor will liaise with the
teaching experience unit leader if and where necessary.
Teaching This is the Partnership Coordinator responsible for a placement. Issues or concerns are
Experience Unit referred to the Partnership Coordinators by University Visiting Tutors, Personal Tutors or
Leader Partnership Tutors.
5.2 Subject Mentors
At the start of the placement, reach a shared understanding of expectations about the requirements
of the teaching experience and student teachers’ support/entitlement.
Focus on strategies to improve a student teacher’s practice, such as:
• Share your planning with the student teacher, do some team teaching – explain your thinking,
make professional knowledge explicit.
• Discuss evaluating your lesson or discuss the student teacher’s lesson plan evaluation.
• Model a specific aspect of pedagogy for the student teacher or do a joint observation of
another teacher modelling an aspect of pedagogy – help the student teacher understand what
to look for.
• Plan for learning opportunities with a wide range of staff across the school, TAs, different
subject areas etc.
• Give student teachers options and get them to choose strategies to meet short-term targets –
so they have ownership of their goals and their actions to achieve them.
▪ Provide a role model of good practice and opportunities for the student teacher to observe
good practice from expert colleagues within and beyond the subject department.
▪ Provide information on departmental policies and practice.
▪ Construct a timetable of teaching with a variety of pupils across different age phases and the
full ability range taking into account the student teachers’ individual needs.
▪ Provide weekly subject mentor meetings with written feedback and targets for improvement.
▪ Monitor the student teachers’ Teaching Experience Files and provide feedback.
▪ Carry out a weekly formal lesson observation with written feedback and targets for
improvements.
▪ Complete timely report documentation, identifying progress to date against the MMU
Curriculum and agree targets for improvement.
How to promote well-being and support a student teacher with anxiety, depression or stress
• Direct student teacher to the university’s counselling, Health and Wellbeing Service. Tel: 0161
247 3493 Email: counselling@mmu.ac.uk or visit the Student Hub, open Monday to Thursday
8.30 – 6.30, Fridays 8.30 – 5.00 https://www2.mmu.ac.uk/student teacher-life/contact-us/
Email: studenthub@mmu.ac.uk
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• General support and advice for mental health: www.mind.org.uk
• Specific support for teachers and student teacher teachers:
www.educationsupportpartnership.org.uk
You are not on your own; teaching is a social profession and help is just a conversation away.
Resilience does not mean struggling to meet unachievable workload expectations; it is about
sustaining your effectiveness as a teacher.
Ovenden-Hope, T. and Brimacombe, K. (2018) ‘Teacher wellbeing and workload: Why a work–life
balance is essential for the teaching profession’. The Profession, p.1-3
https://marjon.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/17250/
5.3 Professional mentor
In respect of the Student Teacher’ entitlement, the Professional Mentor will:
▪ Provide a school-based Induction programme for all student teachers including safeguarding,
school policies, curriculum and introductions to key colleagues
▪ Provide a school based programme of professional studies including scheduled meetings to
review their professional development (this should be shared on request with the Faculty of
Education)
▪ Ensure that policies, data and appropriate information (schemes of work/ lesson planning
documents) are available for the student teacher to carry out prescribed school based training
activities as part of their teaching experience programme and prepare for assignments as part
of the MMU curriculum;
▪ Monitor the progress of individual student teachers, carry out at least one observation of
classroom teaching for each Student Teacher, and provide oral and written feedback of that
observation.
▪ Review, quality assure and sign off written reports completed by subject mentors;
▪ Engage with evaluation documents from the Faculty of Education
▪ Complete and submit the Quality Development Document on behalf of the School.
5.4 University visiting tutor
In most circumstances, student teachers will receive one visit from a University Visiting Tutor (UVT)
per Teaching Experience, in order to quality assure the placement. There is some degree of flexibility
on dates for the visit and it can be personalised to support both subject mentors and student teachers.
Depending on the progress of a student teacher against the MMU curriculum, the visit can take place
at the beginning of a placement, close to when the interim report is due or later in the placement. For
PGCE secondary student teachers one UVT visit will be a subject visit, and one will be a generic visit.
You will be told which visit is taking place.
The UVT will
• Check the teaching experience file (TEF);
• Support the student teacher and school mentors with an intervention support plan for student
teachers where appropriate;
• Monitor the student teachers’ progress across all elements of the MMU Curriculum through
the Progression and Development process
• Co-observe the student teacher teaching with the school mentor/s and observe the mentor’s
feedback and make appropriate contributions to support the training process;
• Counsel and supports student teachers on programme and non-programme related issues
(including recommending referral to other agencies inside or outside of the university);
• Engage in professional discussion with student teachers and help them develop the qualities
of reflection, to apply then to their own practice and to develop a personal, principled
framework for their teaching;
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• When appropriate, to liaise with mentors and ensure recourse to the ISP procedure is made
promptly.
Prior to the visit
The UVT will contact the subject mentor and student teacher to introduce themselves and arrange a
convenient date for the visit. If subject mentors have any concerns, they can request an early visit.
Student teachers need to make sure their Teaching Experience file is shared with their UVT once the
date of the visit has been confirmed and is up-to-date prior to the visit taking place, and well organised.
Visits are likely to be taking place online this year but should the visit be face to face then a lesson plan
and a set of recourses should be provided for the UVT.
During the visit
Student teachers must share their TEF with the UVT prior to the We expect subject mentors to look at
student teacher’s files on a fortnightly basis, as part of the Weekly Mentor Meeting. The UVT will check
the file in order to look at the most recent lesson observations, mentor meeting records, lesson
planning and evaluations.
Discussions and observations can occur in any order, particularly if there are two or more student
teachers at a school (e.g. where two student teachers are on placement in one school, the observations
may take place adjacent to one another, followed by the discussions afterwards). Visits usually take
60-90 minutes in total. Visits are likely to held online this year so this may be subject to change but
the UVT will make sure they inform you of the format.
Example schedule:
• Joint observation (with subject mentor or professional mentor) of any part of a lesson and
agree on strengths/next steps for student teacher. QA previous planning/evaluations in light
of what is observed.
• Discuss student teacher’s progress with Subject Mentor, quality-assure the process/decisions
by the school on the Interim report if already completed.
• Time to speak to the student teacher on their own about their progress.
• Joint discussion between UVT, subject mentor and/or professional mentor and student
teacher about overall progress.
A more detailed description of the UVT visit can see found in the flow chart in Appendix 1 - MMU UVT
Purpose and process Chart
5.5 Senior moderator
The senior moderator has an important role in monitoring the quality of teaching experience within
the secondary PGCE programme.
Their role is to:
• monitor the quality of support for student teachers in school
• monitor the consistency of assessment of school based training
• contribute to the assessment of teaching experience
• report to exam boards
• contribute to the evaluation of the teaching experience process
Senior Moderator activity
• The senior moderator is expected to visit student teachers in school during the final or
penultimate week of their placement
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• The senior moderator will visit if a student is judged to be a cause for concern
• The assessment coordinator will allocate schools and student teachers for the senior
moderator to visit. They will supply the senior moderator with details of the school and the
student teacher and a senior moderator report proforma.
• If necessary the senior moderator will liaise with the personal tutor and university visiting tutor
to discuss the student teacher concerned
• The partnership team will inform the senior moderator and the placement school mentors of
the date and time of the visit
• During the visit to the student teacher the SM will:
a) Observe part of the student teacher’s lesson
b) Review the student teacher’s teaching experience file
c) Discuss the student teacher’s progress with the student teacher
d) Discuss the student teacher’s progress with the Class Mentor and Professional
Mentor
e) Complete a senior moderator report proforma making a recommendation as to
whether the student teacher should pass or fail the placement. If the SM
recommends a Defer, they must provide a clear rationale for this decision
• Following the visit, the senior moderator will email the placements team, university visiting
tutor, placement unit leader and personal tutor summarising the outcome of their visit
• The senior moderator will attend the exam board and contribute to the discussion about the
student teacher where possible.
5.6 Expectations of our student teachers
We hope your experience with MMU is an enjoyable and fulfilling experience and very much see it as
a two way partnership.
What we expect from you:
• Abide by the MMU code of conduct
• Abide by the Covid secure measures implemented by your placement school
• Professional conduct at all times
• Commitment
• Sound planning and preparation
• Dress code – smart, formal dress code should be worn on the first day of placement and
subsequently you should adopt the dress code of your placement school.
• Keep us informed – this not only applies to attendance, when you should follow the
procedures laid down by MMU and your placement school, but if there is anything we need
to know or are able to help with or support please contact your personal tutor
• All student teachers must follow the correct procedures for absence
• Involvement in the life of the school – the more you put into your placements and the life of
the school, the more you will get out of them!
• Attend placement – to attend all days of placement (unless illness, medical appointments,
religious observance), arriving in school at least 30mins before the start of the school day and
staying at least 30mins after the end of the day.
• That you sign in and out every day and wear your ID tag at all times – please make sure you
know the signing in procedures for your placement school
• Engage in wider professional responsibilities – fulfil duties of a teacher such as break duty,
meeting parents, attending staff meetings etc
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• Complete all necessary planning, differentiation and preparation of resources in good time for
teaching – usually emailing subject mentor with planning on an agreed date e.g. 2 days before
teaching
• Reflect on progress, respond to feedback and advice from subject mentor and other ‘expert
colleagues’, and address weekly targets to improve practice
• complete all necessary assessments, marking, setting HW, in accordance with school systems
and policies
• Adhere to school’s safeguarding, behaviour, remote learning, health and safety, and data
protection policies
Personal and Professional standards
All student teachers are expected to maintain very high standards of behaviour by acting in an
appropriate way as identified in the teachers’ standards. Teachers uphold public in the profession and
maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside the school, by:
• Treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times
observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher`s professional position.
• Having regards for the need to safeguard pupils` well- being , in accordance with statutory
provisions
• Showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others
• Not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of the law,
individual liberty and mutual respect , and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
• Ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils` vulnerability or
might lead them to break the law.
6. Teaching experience and placements
Students will undertake two placements during the PGCE.
6.1 Allocation of Placements
All student teachers must have received a satisfactory enhanced DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check
and health check prior to starting placement.
When arranging the two school placements, the main aim is to ensure that student teachers have a
suitable range of experience. The placement team will make the best possible arrangement based
upon available placement schools and the needs of all student teachers in the subject group. They will
take into account:
• prior teaching experience
• specific individual personal circumstances
• school size and type, provision for Post-16 teaching
• anticipated travel time to placement
6.2 Suitable Placements
A suitable placement school will:
• Ensure an active and meaningful relationship between the student teacher and a subject
mentor who is a subject expert, and who holds a teaching qualification, as well as having
substantial teaching experience. The subject mentor must be able to support the professional
development of the student teacher, especially in relation to subject specific knowledge and
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pedagogy. This will require regular meetings between the student teacher and the subject
mentor, and the subject mentor will be required to complete written reports.
• Provide the student teacher with direct teaching time, additional professional practice,
including activities such as team/departmental meetings, interviewing, visits, observation of
teaching, discussion with subject mentors and other school activities.
• Ensure lesson observations by the subject mentor include verbal and written feedback
• Provide student teachers with opportunities to fully meet the professional standards and
student teachers must have opportunities to engage in the full range of school assessment
procedures and processes, and to take part in curriculum planning.
• Provide the student teacher with a suitable physical environment in which to teach, including
the provision of appropriate resources, ICT and access to the internet.
• Give the student teacher support in accessing opportunities to extend their breadth of practice
in relation to subject specific knowledge and pedagogy beyond the immediate range of
curricula taught in the everyday context of the student teacher’s working life.
• Fully induct student teachers into the placement school in the first week of their teaching
experience The student teacher must also be given, or shown where to find, any appropriate
policies such as behaviour management, safeguarding children, ICT usage, SEND policies etc.
• Provide quality assurance procedures to ensure high quality training.
• Provide an appropriate safeguarding policy for children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• Provide safer recruitment procedures and make sure that all appropriate checks are carried
out on staff, volunteers, and student teachers who work with children, young people and
vulnerable adults;
Manchester Metropolitan University will:
• Involve the placement school in all aspects of training.
• Support subject mentors and professional mentors through mentor training, meetings and
email communication
• Facilitate the sharing of good practice across the partnership.
• Provide all documentation through the partnership website
https://www.mmu.ac.uk/stepd/partnerships/resources/secondary/
• Monitor and evaluate the quality of training and respond appropriately.
• Provide ongoing support and guidance.
• Provide student teachers with introductory training to safeguarding policy for children, young
people, and vulnerable adults;
• Provide safer recruitment procedures and make sure that all appropriate checks are carried
out on tutors, volunteers, and student teachers who work with children, young people and
vulnerable adults.
6.3 Student Teacher Entitlement
Students are entitled to weekly mentor meetings, a weekly formal observation and professional
studies or issue sessions. There is more specific guidance in each of the placement handbooks.
Every student teacher is required to read and/or sign the University’s Student and Professional Code
of Conduct and the ‘Teachers Standards 2018’ prior to their Placement start date. They set the
standards for conduct student teachers are expected to undertake during their studies. This could go
above it
6.4 Data Protection whilst on placement
You will be aware that when you handle personal data during the course of your studies with the
university, the university’s data protection policy https://www.mmu.ac.uk/data-protection/ applies.
School of Teacher Education & Professional Development, Faculty of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University Page 16PGCE Secondary Teaching Experience Handbook 2020-2021 __________________________________________________________________________________ During your placement, where the school has trained you and provided you with a copy of their data protection policy, the school’s data protection policy and guidance will apply but only when handling personal data relating to any pupil or employee or anyone else of the school or college. If you have not been provided with a copy of the data protection policy and training, you must continue to apply the university’s data protection policy during your placement or until you have been trained and provided with a copy of the school’s data protection policy. We advise you not to store, or take outside of school, personal data unless instructed to do so by the school. Should you wish to keep records about events or incidents, please ensure all records are anonymised (i.e. remove all information identifying the individual you are referring to). For example, you should not disclose pupil’s personal data to anyone outside of school (including anyone at Manchester Met). When referring to your concerns with a tutor at Manchester Met or anyone outside of the school, please do not disclose personal information about the pupil such as their first and last name. If you are in any doubt about which data protection policy applies to which situation, please speak to your personal tutor here at Manchester Met or your subject mentor at school for further guidance. Below is a link to the DfE’s GDPR Toolkit, which schools will be using, and which you may find useful background reading. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file /702325/GDPR_Toolkit_for_Schools__1_.pdf 6.5 Disclosure and Barring All student teachers entering onto the Programmes are subject to satisfactory Enhanced Criminal Records with a Barred List check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (“DBS”). A representative of the University’s Faculty of Education Head of School or Associate Head of School will make a judgement of a student teacher’s suitability to begin working with children in Schools, based on a student teacher’s DBS enhanced disclosure certificate, self-declaration, checked against prohibited teachers list using the government’s Teacher Services System and Childcare Disqualification declaration Any DBS Enhanced Disclosure certificates, which have a criminal conviction, reprimand or caution, is scrutinised by a senior member of Academic staff from the University’s Faculty of Education, and if deemed appropriate the student teacher will be invited in for an interview to discuss the disclosure. By following the University’s DBS Policy, and in agreement with the Schools, the University will decide if the student teacher is suitable to train as a teacher or, if appropriate, has the authority to suspend or terminate the registration of any student teacher who would be barred from professional practice under DBS and Keeping Children Safe guidelines. All schools have been notified in writing of the rigorous DBS arrangements which the university has in place. In accordance with Ofsted requirements, Schools should not request access to DBS certificates. However, the Professional Placements Team at the University will ensure all relevant checks and requirements have been met. The Schools will receive, with the student teacher’s permission, the student teacher’s name, level of check, DBS certificate number and issue date. student teachers have consented to this when enrolling online with the university, and completed a Childcare Disqualification form prior to commencing placement. Please refer to the information on the Partnership website: https://www.mmu.ac.uk/stepd/partnerships/resources/secondary/ or contact the Placements Office for further clarification of the University’s DBS procedures if required. For further information see: www.education.gov.uk/ittcriteria School of Teacher Education & Professional Development, Faculty of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University Page 17
PGCE Secondary Teaching Experience Handbook 2020-2021 __________________________________________________________________________________ 6.6 Equality Statement and Religious Observance We live in a diverse society. The Brooks building is set in the heart of multi-cultural Manchester, a context that reaffirms MMU’s recognition of the need to prepare students to teach in a diverse society. We have a responsibility as an educational institution to help people to achieve their full potential in life, a responsibility we have to our staff and students alike. We also have a responsibility to create an organisation that recognises and values diversity as a source of strength and enrichment. Equality and diversity statement is an expression of our intention to meet these responsibilities to the full https://www.mmu.ac.uk/about-us/equality-and-diversity/ The Faculty of Education seeks to go beyond the minimum standards imposed by the law, and is committed to achieving best practice in the area of equality. All students and staff at the Faculty are entitled to equality of opportunity and treatment regardless of age; colour, race, ethnic origin or nationality; religion or belief; disability; sex or gender; sexual orientation; marital status; caring responsibilities; socio-economic status; employment status; or any other unjustifiable grounds. The Faculty of Education believes that a teacher who fails to provide equality of opportunity for all students is failing in their professional responsibilities. Thus, the Faculty commits itself to the most firm and resolute opposition to all forms of racism, sexism and other discrimination. The Faculty has a commitment to uphold these values in all its work both on and off the site and to provide training and education which enables students to continue such opposition to discrimination in their future careers as teachers and trainers. In addition, to Manchester Metropolitan University guidelines it should be noted that students work in schools that also operate equal opportunities policies. Students are expected to become familiar with these policies and their operation within the school environment. In their work in schools, they are required to provide and promote equality of opportunity in order to create an inclusive classroom. They are required to provide a ‘safe and secure’ environment in which all pupils feel valued and able to contribute to the work of the classroom. Student teachers will learn how to support the different needs of pupils of different abilities, including those with special needs, understanding that all pupils have the right to develop at the rate of which they are capable. Student teachers on all ITE programmes also have to fulfil national standards with regard to equal opportunities. The Standards for QTS require that all students understand and uphold the professional code. All students on this course are subject to being able to provide a certificate from the ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ related to any criminal records or convictions. Any change to your status under this disclosure during the course may result in you being required to withdraw from the course. Any student teacher who believes that they are being subjected to any form of discrimination or harassment from adults or children should immediately discuss their concerns with the subject mentor or professional mentor in their placement school. Should a student teacher not feel able to do this, they should contact their personal tutor. Student teachers should not wait until after the placement has finished before they share any concerns. Religious Observance All student teachers can expect schools to be sensitive to religious beliefs in terms of being able to wear religiously and culturally appropriate dress, having a place to pray, and being able to observe religious festivals which require them to be absent from school. It is anticipated that student teachers will require no more than two days religious observance during any placement. It is a student School of Teacher Education & Professional Development, Faculty of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University Page 18
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